Enemy of my Enemy by Keiko Yuki

Ichi

Enemy of my enemy...

Summary- they say the enemy of your enemy is your friend, but what if the enemy of my enemy is also my enemy? What then? But what if your former enemy became your friend or something more? Then he's more than an ally... right?

Kagome's POV

The battleground was crimson and black with the blood of many, including mine. I glanced toward my friends, my comrades, and...Him. I didn't know what to call him; I wasn't even comfortable calling him by his name.

We never spoke directly to each other, never anything personal exchanged between the stoic taiyoukai of the west, Inuyasha's half-brother Sesshoumaru and I. He kept his distance, only fighting with us because Naraku had 'done him wrong and needed to die'. We never questioned him, not even Inuyasha.

Inuyasha. Where is he? My love, my pain. Love is supposed to make you feel good right? Then why does this hurt so damn much? Surely it's not love, if it hurts me so!

I can feel the tears coming from my eyes, burning my eye sockets and cheeks. They fell and the tears washed the grime and blood from my face. Arrow after arrow, spell after spell, I fought. I fought with everything I had in me. I was defending my friends, my love, my values, my...

Sesshoumaru, what are you to me? Surely not a friend, ally sounds too formal and unfamiliar. He wasn't even my enemy, Naraku was. He was everyone's enemy, the one who everyone loathed, even his incarnations.

Kagura and Kanna. They're here too, fighting against their master. Not caring anymore about their hearts, which Naraku was too preoccupied as of now to smash into oblivion.

Another arrow. Blood spatters on my clothes, the gore showers around me and yet I don't seem to mind. This is the final battle, the battle between good and the ultimate evil. Today the outcome of this battle will determine the fate of everyone, Youkai and ningen alike.

Another glance, Sango and Miroku are back to back, fighting for their own reasons. Miroku for the cursed hand he had been dealt by Naraku and Sango, vengeance for her family. Kohaku was long-gone, the loss painfully obvious in Sango's facade and the ferocity of her fighting. She used her anger to help her fight longer and harder. Miroku was using his ofuda and staff.

The annoyingly incessant buzzing of the dreaded insects surrounded them and could be heard above the cries of pain from youkai and her friends.

Inuyasha...

Where is Inuyasha? Inuyasha, do you know how much you hurt me? Do you care? But I still love you! Why?!

I look left and right, but its hard. There are youkai everywhere! I can't even see in front of me. I'm standing on the body of a demon that I had slain earlier with the katana that Sesshoumaru gave me.

Sesshoumaru...

How shocked I was when you gave it to me. I'd laugh right now if it were any other situation but this one. My mouth must have been agape and my eyes wide as saucers. You just scoffed when I murmured my thanks and bowed. I didn't even ask you why, though now that I think of it, I probably should have, maybe then I wouldn't be so confused about you.

Where are you Sesshoumaru? The battlefield is so full of carnage and blood in the air mixed with the black miasma of Naraku. Last I saw, you were attacking Naraku head-on. Are you okay? Why can't I see. Another youkai, will the swarm ever die out? I slash at them with my katana, cutting them cleanly. I can see a glimmer of golden flecks ahead of me and a streak of white, that has to be Sesshoumaru. He's the only person who can remain white in a bloodbath...

Katana, the katana you gave me is still clean. It has tasted the blood of many now; it's a good thing that Sango taught me to use it. Have you put a spell on it so that it would stay untainted? I can almost see myself smiling wistfully as I swing it at another youkai. Easily slicing it's head off. I suppose I look like I enjoy killing with this smile on my face.

I can see at last, the droves of youkai have drawn back for some reason. Glancing from side to side I look at the battleground, the grass isn't even visible anymore, although I suppose that if the youkai were to disappear from the ground the blades would no longer be green but crimson.

Inuyasha, there he is! I can see you Inu, your sword is drawn and your left arm is bleeding badly. My heart feels a sudden surge of pain at the sight of you. The state in which you are in is disturbing, I've seen you like this and yet not exactly the same as this.

Your face is set in a death glare, aimed at the most hated person in all of Japan. Naraku.

"Kukukukuku" I can hear his cackle from here. The deep sinister voice that makes me want to hurl right into his lap. My nose is suddenly overpowered by the stench of carnage and blood. My hand flies to my nose in a poor attempt to block the horrid stench from entering my nostrils. If I think this is bad I can't even begin to imagine what Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha are smelling right about now.

Inuyasha's arm is draped over his nose, the fire rat haori blocking most of the powerful scent away from him but I could tell he still smelled it. Sesshoumaru didn't cover his nose, but it was scrunched up a bit and his eyes were more narrow, as if he were dizzy. Honestly, he would endure anything not to show any sign of weakness... He actually looks kinda cute with his face like that...no!

Why did I think that?! Well, it is true but I shouldn't be thinking such things! I shake my head and stare back at Naraku, glaring at him with an intense hatred I'd never felt with anyone else before. There was a time in which I had almost defeated Naraku with my sacred arrow, and now I was going to finish the job. I've grown a lot stronger, I'm not only limited to arrows but I can fight and use a katana. But I will finish this battle with one of my sacred arrows and purify the evil that ravaged Japan for all these years.

I slid my katana back into its sheath then unhooked the bow from my back and notched an arrow. Pure white ki began to swirl around the tip and glowed brightly. I glared at Naraku; he wasn't even worried about the arrow I was charging. He was smiling and laughing! The bastard was laughing at me!

My anger seethed and went into the arrow unknowingly, instead of the pure white and pink arrow it always has been, it turned a fiery red. An angry color to match my mood. This was it; this was when our lives would change. Miroku and Sango can live at peace together, Shippo wouldn't have to live constantly on a battlefield and Inuyasha would finally have his vengeance for Kikyo. I would have the satisfaction of killing the hated beast that caused sorrow wherever he went and maybe have a normal life.

My hate-filled eyes glared at Naraku, burning into him as he remained where he was unafraid and unmoved. He waved his hand, beckoning for me to do my worst and that set me off. The hatred in my heart grew, as did the energy in my sacred arrow.

I called the shards to me, telling them to meld together and live in harmony once more. Shards from everywhere, Kagura's fan and Kanna's mirror came to me, as did some from other directions from somewhere not on the battleground. The pink lights came from all directions but I didn't even bother looking at them like everyone else did.

I stayed watching Naraku; his laughing finally ceased as the jewel shards in his possession tried to break free from his chest. He clutched at his chest and stared at me in shock. "How?" I could hear him mutter as the jewel finally ripped itself from his chest in a black half-moon. The shards in my possession met his halfway, melding together and the pink oozing over the black until it was swallowed and completely purified.

I smiled and held out my hand, calling it to me. The now complete shikon no tama dropped into my hand and I placed it to my side, where it was meant to reside until my death. I could feel the power surrounding me, I felt whole once more. I didn't feel like I was missing some of my soul like I was accustomed to feeling ever since Kikyo took part of my own soul from me. That was when I saw it, a pink ball flying from the edge of the woods into me and a high pitched scream.

I turned to the horrid sound and saw Kikyo staggering out of the line of trees. She was clutching her chest and gaping at me, shock evident in her features. A pain in my heart emerged when Inuyasha dropped his stance to run to her, his crimson blood trailing behind him in red ribbons.

Tears came from my eyes, dripping down my cheeks with much more fervor than before I gave a wail of grief and let the arrow go, putting into it my anger, my sorrow and my hate. It flew true and pierced Naraku through the heart, destroying the incarnations and all of the youkai near him.

Once it hit, the arrow's ki pulsated, obliterating everything in its path. A wave was heading toward where they stood, Kirara growled and scooped up Shippo, Sango and Miroku then flew quickly away. I could faintly hear my kit and friends calling my name as the rings of light moved toward me. But I didn't care anymore, the love of my life had left me for her once again and I couldn't live to watch it any longer. Tears drifted down my cheeks as I watched them together, I can hear every word exchanged, "I'll go with you Kikyo. Wherever you go I will follow."

"No," I muttered, taking a step forward and outstretching my hand toward him. Kikyo looked up at him and smiled a sad smile. She wasn't the Kikyo I had learned to despise, but the Kikyo that Inuyasha had fallen in love with all those fifty years ago.

"Then come with me, and we'll be together forever" and they embraced, swallowed by the halo of purifying energy.

I screamed in agony, dropping to my knees and clutching my heart to my chest. Inuyasha had finally left me completely alone; I had no one else to fill that void within my heart that was supposed to be filled with love. The space that was set-aside for the love of my life and my world. He was gone, and I wanted to go too. But could I face him in the afterlife? Where would I go? I'd drawn blood and felt hatred in its purest sense, where would I be sent?

Where would he be? If I were sent to the same place, would I be doomed to spend eternity watching him be with her instead of I? Could I deal with it? Would I be doomed to be a spirit because of my bitter soul? Why did this have to happen? My heart is breaking, the pink light is slowly coming towards me, and I can feel my hair rising from the static electricity of my ki. I close my eyes, prepared for the death that was going to befall me, I welcomed it.

Is this death?

There is a breeze; I'm warm but cold at the same time. Is this what death is supposed to feel like? It's so...comfy. Is this what its like to be killed by pure energy? If so then the demons I'd killed in the past had it easy...wait. In death you're not supposed to have a body right? Then why can I still feel my fingers..?

I twitched my fingers, I can feel someone watching me and I can feel the wind flowing through my hair. There is a comfortable warmth on my side, like I'm lying next to a furry blanket. I must be at home, and it was all just a dream. I reach for the comforter and try to wrap it around me, only to feel it pull from my grasp. Pull?!

My eyes opened widely, staring into the most beautiful golden eyes ever seen. At first I thought it was Inuyasha, haunting me even in my death, but upon further inspection I found that there were two maroon stripes pulling away from the eyes and a blue crescent moon. Sesshoumaru. For some reason, I was not alarmed in the fact that I was so close to him or him to me. I don't know why, but when he held me I felt safe and protected. Certainly Inuyasha would never hold me this way or this closely.

"Sesshou-" I muttered into his fur pelt and nuzzled into it. I had no idea what I was doing, maybe with death so close to me I'd lost my ability to think clearly. All I knew was I was comfortable right where I was. I had forgotten all about Inuyasha and his dead lover, about Miroku, Sango and Shippo, even Naraku was forgotten. I liked the feel of the fur against my cheek and the warmth that radiated from Sesshoumaru's body.

My eyes drifted closed and I could feel myself falling asleep, falling into the wonderful bliss of unconsciousness and security. The warmth that surrounded and cradled me made me secure enough to sleep that I did...

Sesshou's POV

I watched her sleep in my arms, why did I save her? When I saw her embracing death during that final battle I acted on instinct. Yes, that's it. It was only my natural instincts that led me to do it. Led me to jump to her and carry her away from danger. She was ningen I hated ningen, then why did I save her?

I looked at her for a long time, wondering what I was to do now. We both had wounds, mine were to heal in a matter of days but I was too weak to concentrate on the healing process. Weak... How I despise that word. When I came to my brother to propose our alliance I had had that in mind. Weakness...I knew I couldn't defeat Naraku on my own, I am powerful but not that powerful. I am man enough to admit when I need help, just not aloud to others.

The miko, she was an interesting creature. Even though I had tried to kill her on many occasions she was the only person in their little group that accepted me. The taijiya and monk had been wary of me but remained neutral. My brother, half-brother, never accepted me and we constantly fought with one another. It was always the miko who stopped the fights before either of us could seriously hurt the other.

I don't care for this human, why am I even bothering with her? Why did I save her?

This question is still in my head, I didn't like the girl but I didn't hate her either. It was confusing, I could only remember one time I felt this way and that was with Rin. I had contemplated for days, wondering why I had saved her, of course I told myself it was only to test my sword's abilities but that explanation didn't explain why I kept her around...

I sense movement, I looked down to see the woman-child Kagome shifting, clutching onto my tail and burying her face into it. Instinctively it pulled away and in turn, triggered her wakening. Her blue-grey eyes opened widely and she stared into mine. I had nothing to say so I kept my expressionless gaze concentrating on her own shocked one.

Surprisingly enough, all she did was whisper half of my name and bury her face into my fur and fall back asleep. I could feel my energy draining; I looked back toward the battlefield and the now dissipating energy rings that would surely have destroyed us all. Hard to believe that such a fragile human girl had the power to destroy one of the most powerful beings ever to plague Japan.

My energy completely ran out, making me revert back to my canine form and plummet back toward the ground. My half-closed eyes watched the girl fall; somehow with what little strength I had left I caught her between my teeth and put her on my back just before we hit the ground. From the shock of my battered body colliding with the cold ground I passed out...

Keiko- Please read, review and rate!!! I would REALLY appreciate it, and if you liked this one then you can check out my other fics too!!! Ja ne! ^.~